Definition of "differential calculus" []

• The mathematics of the variation of a function with respect to changes in independent variables. (noun)
• The study of slopes of curves, accelerations, maxima, and minima by means of derivatives and differentials. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.